Pesto Filled Tin Foil Dinner

I hope all my fellow American friends had a safe and happy Independence Day  weekend!  We sure did!  It was filled with multiple nights of fireworks, hanging out late with neighbors, birthday parties, some backyard camping and tin foil dinners!  We seriously had a blast!

I made a new tin foil dinner inspired by one from Vegetarian Times last year.  I really didn't want the standard hamburger patty with carrots and onions and {gasp!} cream of mushroom soup anymore.  I wanted something different.  Something a little healthier.  Something a little more exciting.  So I decided to make a pesto filled packet with lots of veggie goodness in it!

Pesto Filled Tin Foil Dinner

{the ingredients on some of these aren't real specific 

because it will just depend on how many packets 

you are preparing.  But don't worry ~ 

this is easy peasy lemon squeezey!!}

small new potatoes, thinly sliced

vegetable broth

12 oz package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

2 cups fresh or frozen peas, thawed

2 medium leeks, thinly sliced, white and light green parts

jar of pesto

romano or parmesan cheese

freshly chopped basil

Lay out your tinfoil and bend up the sides to create a small bowl for your food.  Layer as many potatoes as you would like on the bottom and drizzle with a small amount of vegetable broth.  Combine the artichoke hearts, peas and leeks in a bowl and cover and mix with pesto.  Scoop as much of the pesto veggies as you would like into your packet on top of the potatoes and wrap up your tin foil packet.  Cook either on hot coals in your campfire or on a grill {or even your oven at 400} for about 25-30 minutes.  Carefully open the packet and sprinkle romano or parmesan cheese and basil on top.  Enjoy!

The artichoke hearts give the packet a nice big bite of substance that makes you not even miss the meat!  But feel free to play around with the amounts.  For instance, my daughter wanted more potatoes than artichokes so next time I will probably fill hers with more potatoes.

What fun did you have over the weekend?